When you're stuck for dinner inspiration, a straightforward chicken breast can always be relied upon to meet your protein needs. To inject some excitement and smoky depth into a plain chicken supper, one food writer has recommended a sophisticated blend of spices widely used across North African countries.

She described it as a "powerhouse" ingredient capable of completely transforming a cut of meat. Camille Berry wrote for Simply Recipes: "This powerhouse of a spice mix is perfect for seasoning roast meats and vegetables, adding depth to stews, or used in marinades. You may be surprised by how many of its ingredients already lurk in your cupboard!"

Ras el hanout is typically comprised of a blend of 12 different spices, though it can potentially contain up to 40. While there is no definitive recipe for ras el hanout, the blend commonly features warming spices such as cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, coriander, and turmeric, reports The Mirror.

She continued: "In Arabic, ras el hanout translates to 'head of the shop.' Historically, this meant the top shelf, aka the best of the best a grocer has to offer, turned into an aromatic, multi-layered spice blend.

"Garam masala has shades of it. So does baharat, the complex Middle Eastern spice blend. But for all their exceptional flavor, neither is quite like ras el hanout."

She uses ras el hanout to enhance a variety of dishes, extending well beyond simply flavouring meats. It can be stirred into stews for added richness or incorporated into a straightforward marinade. Camille described ras el hanout as being: "The gamut of warm, sweet, earthy, and floral, with a mild heat."

It is remarkably versatile and can be used to season a wide variety of meats, and even fish.

When using ras el hanout to flavour your preferred protein, Camille recommended combining the spice with yoghurt. The yoghurt works to tenderise the meat while the spices serve to enhance the smoky flavour.

This pairing works particularly well if you intend to grill or roast the meat. Alternatively, you can create a marinade using olive oil in place of yoghurt.

That said, it is entirely possible to forgo the marinade and opt for a dry rub instead. Simply coat the ras el hanout directly onto the meat's skin.

The spice blend can also be used to season vegetables and salads alike. Camille wrote: "The warm, earthy flavors pair brilliantly with roasted veggies, especially naturally sweet root vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots, or bright bell peppers. In summer, I make compound butter and slather it over grilled corn.

"Dusting it over couscous, quinoa, or bulgur when making grain-based salads is a fantastic way to get acquainted with this spice blend, too."